Monday, June 30, 2014

Watch out for those dogs, those men
who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the
circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus,
and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such
confidence.Philippians 3:2-4 (NIV)

Traditions
are hard to leave behind. There’s a certain comfort in depending on what is
familiar. But what happens when those traditions get in the way of what God
wants to do in our lives?

Circumcision
presented a particular dilemma for the early church. God directed Abraham and
his family to be circumcised as a sign of identification with God as His people
(Genesis 17). Following Jesus’ death, however, identification with God’s Son
superseded any outward sign. The Jewish believers weren’t willing to give that
up. But, salvation comes by grace through faith, not from works. To require circumcision
was to ask for more than God was asking.

Let’s make this
personal. What are you depending on other than Jesus to have a right
relationship with God? Is it looking a certain way or sounding religious? Are
you more focused on serving than on the Son?

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Whatever happens, dear
friends, be glad in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you this and it is
good for you to hear it again and again.Philippians 3:1(LB)

Paul tells the Philippians over and over to “be glad in the Lord.”
Why? Because it’s very easy to become discouraged. It doesn’t take very long to
look around and see all of the things that are not as we think they should be.
It’s pretty easy to blow up the black balloons and host a full-on pity party
for ourselves. We don’t need to be reminded to be discouraged. We don’t need
encouragement to be critical or negative. Those things come naturally.

We need a reminder to “be glad in the Lord.” There’s a lot to be
glad about. Think about it:

Jesus saved us.

God is on our side.

God loves us no matter what.

God is with us in everything we face.

God will never leave us and will never forsake us.

We have plenty of reasons to be glad. We just forget to be glad.
So, whatever happens today, be glad in the Lord. It’s just a reminder.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

For this light momentary affliction is
preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look
not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the
things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV)

When I am
afflicted, it usually doesn’t feel light or momentary. Now, when someone else
is afflicted, now that can seem light, momentary and possibly trivial. Why?
You’re probably thinking “because he’s so callous.” That’s not so.

My
problems seem larger than other people’s because my problems are personal. I
have trouble gaining perspective when I’m in the hot seat. When other people
are facing things, I can see the big picture more easily, because I’m not in
the middle of it. I can also pray for them more effectively than I can pray for
myself.

I face
affliction best, when I have someone else by my side. Someone who will
encourage me, pray for me, give me God’s perspective and challenge me not to
feel sorry for myself. Who does that for you?

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Thank you for such a great response about our dog. We found a wonderful, loving home for our girl. It's interesting that the dad had promised his son they would get a dog after they returned from vacation. The son asked his dad last Thursday night when they were getting another dog. Then, on Friday morning bright and early, the dad read my blog post about our dog. It's a perfect fit. I love it when God puts a plan together!

For those of you looking for a dog, I would recommend the Greenville County Animal Shelter. Our dog was at the end of her days there when we adopted her.

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all
the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who
belong to Christ Jesus to live.1 Thessalonians 5:16-18(MSG)

This is a
hard thing to do. Sure we can pretend to be cheerful, but to actually be
cheerful, that’s much more difficult.

Think
about this: when are we the most appreciative of what we have? We appreciate
our health when we’re sick. We appreciate a good night’s sleep, when we’re
tossing and turning. We appreciate well-behaved children, when they’re pitching
a fit in the middle of the grocery store. When things are going well, we tend
to take everything for granted.

So, today,
I have an ear infection. I’m not cheerful about the ear infection, but I am
cheerful that my nose has cleared up. I am thankful for good doctors and
antibiotics. I’m thankful for nice weather. I’m thankful for a quiet office
where I can close the door and write.

For every
bad thing that happens, we can probably come up with a hundred or maybe even a
thousand things that we can be thankful for. Take a minute and count your
blessings!

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

People who conceal their sins will not
prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Proverbs 28:13

Our fallen
human nature leads us to shame rather than to grace. We resort to hiding rather
than confessing. The result is more sin and shame rather than more grace and
mercy.

The power
of sin is in the secret. How do we break this power? We break the power of sin
by telling the secret. “You can't
whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving
them” (MSG). Then, we worry: “What will people think of me?” Honestly, what
people will think is that we’re normal. We’re just like everybody else.

Imagine
sitting in a small group. One person speaks of their strengths and their gifts.
Another person speaks of their woundedness and their brokenness. Who do we
gravitate toward? We are open to people who are open and admit their
weaknesses.

We will
connect with far more people by admitting our weaknesses than we ever will by
touting our strengths.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Those hired at five o'clock came up
and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they
assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one
dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, 'These last
workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who
slaved all day under a scorching sun.' Matthew 20:9-12 (MSG)

Life isn’t
fair, especially when it comes to grace. We can certainly be thankful for that.
We don’t want fairness when it comes to sin, punishment and grace. We want
grace. “Unmerited” or undeserved favor is the only thing that will pull us out
of the ditch of sin and lostness.

But, what
about those who are saved later in life? What about those who claim to be
saved, but continue sinning? Should they receive the same favor as those who
never stray?

When we take
our eyes off of serving God, we begin to feel that we are deserving of what God
gives us. This is trite, but it’s true: deserving is de-serving. Our heart and
our motivation are in the wrong place. We should be thankful for every life
that is turned around and every bit of grace that God gives.

When have
you felt like God’s work has been unfair? Take a minute right now to thank God
for His grace and thank Him for being unfair. After all, He gave every believer
a huge break.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Do everything
without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean,
innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full
of crooked and perverse people. Philippians
2:14-15

“Do everything without complaining and
arguing.” Really? Everything?

Faith is an all or nothing
proposition. It doesn’t take hold of us all at once or all of the way through,
but it does work its way through over time.

Why do we complain? For some it’s just
a bad habit. I’ve even heard of people wearing rubber bands around their wrists
so that every time they complain, they snap themselves. For some this could
cause a serious medical condition!

Often we complain because life doesn’t
measure up to our expectations. Let’s resolve this. Say it out loud: Life will
never measure up to my expectations, but God is good.

Complaining betrays a lack of
confidence in God. He has your best at heart. Often, the hard things we face
are molding us into His image.

What things have you found yourself
complaining about lately? What can you do about it? Whether you can take action
or pray, do that and trust in God for the rest.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Ok, I know this is an unusual request on this devotional blog. I hope you're enjoying the devotions, and I do promise not to send out another request like this again.

Our family needs to re-home a dog we rescued a few months ago. She's a 1 1/2 year old black lab mix. She is a sweet dog, but our rambunctious family is a little too much for her.

We don't want to return her to the animal shelter, because she will be put to sleep, but she can't stay with us any longer. If you know of anyone who would love this dog, please reply to this email. Thanks!

Remain
in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is
severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in
them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

I am a driven, motivated sort of guy.
At times I have been called a “human doing” rather than a human being. That’s
why passages like this one are a challenge to me. What’s the verb, the “action
word,” here? It’s “remain.” What kind of action word is that? It’s more like an
inaction word. But, to produce much fruit, I am called to remain. Otherwise,
“apart from me you can do nothing.” Are you challenged by this verse yet?

The intimacy of my relationship with
God is what produces fruit in my life. You cannot develop intimacy in a hurry.
The problem is that I’m usually in a hurry. I don’t have time to slow down.
But, here’s the deal: how much do I actually need to slow down? I don’t need to
bring things to a complete halt to connect with God. I just need to slow down
enough to connect with Him before I act. Maybe it’s just five minutes.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

“As the Spirit works within us, we
become more and more like Him.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (LB)

California
is known as the land of fruits and nuts. Where we lived in the Central Valley
for 15 years, we experienced the agricultural variety. Every town is the
capital of some form of produce and holds a festival. Patterson, CA is the
Apricot Capital of the World. Stockton, CA is the Asparagus Capital.
Castroville, CA is the Artichoke Capital. And, where we lived, Turlock, CA, well,
it’s the Turkey Capital. (Keep the jokes to yourself please.)

The fruit
of a believer’s life is largely determined by our openness to the Holy Spirit.
If we insist on calling the shots and doing the work, then we produce fruit
that looks like us. It’s not all good, and we certainly wouldn’t want a
festival for it. As we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit through simple things
like pausing to pray seconds before we act or thinking about a Scripture verse
taped to our dashboard, our fruit begins to look more like God’s produce. Now,
that’s worth celebrating!

What kind
of fruit is your life producing? What results are you seeing? Does it look like
Jesus or someone else?

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

There's nothing like the written Word
of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing
us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live
God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God
has for us.2Timothy 3:15-17 (MSG)

How do we
know if our desires line up with what pleases God? God’s Word is a great place
to start. God will never direct you to do anything that contradicts any part of
His Word. The more we know and understand God’s Word; we will have better
discernment about God’s direction in our lives. If we’ve read the Bible many
times, then it might be the time to take a Hermeneutics class and dig a little
deeper.

God’s Word
works this way in our lives: It teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains in
righteousness. It tells us where the path is (teaches). The Bible tells us
where we’ve strayed from the path (rebukes). It shows us the way back to the
path (corrects). And, God’s Word directs us how to stay on the path (trains).
The more time we spend with God’s Word, the more He will rub off on us.

Monday, June 16, 2014

For God is working in you, giving you
the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13

Christians debate whether God’s initiative or a person’s
initiative causes them to be saved. It’s really two sides of the same coin.
Philippians points out that we work (2:12) and God works (2:13). If there is no
cooperation between a person and God, salvation is not going to happen.

How do we know what to “work out”?
According to this verse, God gives us two things: the desire and the power. Do
you have a desire to do what pleases God? If you don’t, then you need to
consider whether you truly belong to God. Please understand, I am not saying
this to be harsh. If I didn’t care about you, I wouldn’t have brought this up.
If there is no desire to please God, then you should carefully examine where you
are with Him.

You can’t manufacture that desire, but
you can ask God for it. When God gives you the desire, He will also give you
the power. So many people run out of steam in trying to please God. But, who
said you need to provide the steam? God gives us the power to accomplish what
pleases Him. Ask and you will receive.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Therefore,
my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now
much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and
tremblingPhilippians
2:12 (NIV)

I am terrified of snow skiing. Terrified. I grew up in Kansas. There
are no mountains in Kansas. So, it must be my parents’ fault, right? Here’s why
I’m afraid of skiing: when I try to ski, I have to submit to a powerful force
that is beyond my control, namely, gravity. To successfully ski, I have to lean
into the force. It causes me to become out of control. It just freaks me out.
Too much fear and trembling for sure.

This passage might give the impression that somehow we work for
our salvation. That is simply not true. We are saved by grace (Ephesians
2:8-9). We don’t work for our salvation; we “work out” our salvation. The
difference is that now that we belong to Christ, we are no longer in charge of
our lives. For this to work, we must truly give up control in every area of our
lives and allow Christ’s powerful force to empower and guide our lives. Unlike
falling off of a mountain, God’s interest is in our good and His Glory.

How much is your life in sync with God’s power and direction? What
areas of your life feel like you’re trying to ski uphill?

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the
joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God.Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

As runners in a race, the author of
Hebrews challenges us to look at the stories of other great runners (Hebrews
11). Their stories of hardship and sacrifice that ultimately led to victory are
our inspiration. Our ability to run is greatly enhanced by throwing off
anything that will slow down our pace, particularly sin that will trip us up.

The goal of our running is not to run
away from Hell, sin or self. The goal is Jesus. As we intently concentrate on
the outcome of the race, we have the perspective and motivation to run. Jesus
is the author, the initiator, of the race. He is also the perfecter. Now, that
doesn’t mean that Jesus will necessarily make us perfect in this life. The word
perfect here means “complete” or “finished.” Jesus, who fired the starting gun,
will be right there to wave the flag at the end of the race. He’ll make sure
that we cross that finish line.

How do we know that our race will turn
out so well? Because Jesus endured far more than any of us. Now, He wears the
victor’s crown. So will we who believe in Him.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Friends,
when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on
the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ
experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the
corner. 1 Peter 4:12-13 (MSG)

A ladies Bible study was discussing Malachi 3:3,
“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” After much discussion, one
lady proposed visiting a silversmith.

She went and asked about the process of refining
silver, which he fully described to her. "But Sir," she said,
"do you sit while the work of refining is going on?"

"Oh, yes, madam," replied the
silversmith; "I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if
the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver
will be injured."

As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith
called her back, and said he had forgotten to mention that the only way that he
knows when the process of purifying is complete, is when he sees his own image
reflected in the silver. – Unknown

The refining process is
not the most enjoyable part of our relationship with God, but it is a necessary
process.

How is God refining you
today? What is being taken away? What hurts? Remember, “glory is just around
the corner.”

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

We don't have a priest who is out of
touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it
all—all but the sinHebrews 4:15 (MSG).

Three
areas of temptation are common to everybody: pleasure, possessions, and
prestige (1 John 2:16). The Bible refers to these as the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16, KJV). Whatever we are
tempted with really comes down to one of these three categories.

At the end
of a 40-day fast, Jesus was tempted just as we are (Matthew 4:1-11). The devil
took advantage of Jesus’ physical condition by tempting him to turn stones into
bread. Jesus was tempted with pleasure.

Then, the
devil turns to prestige. He even uses Scripture to challenge Jesus’ authority
and ability by tempting Him to jump off the highest point of the temple and let
the angels rescue Him (Matthew 4:5-6).

Finally,
the devil offers possessions by taking Jesus up to a very high mountain and
making an offer: “All of this I will give you…if you will bow down and worship
me” (Matthew 4:9, NIV).

Jesus
faced what we face. He understands. How can Jesus help you today?